A Splash of Red
by Twainsyke
Summary: Edmund finds an account of Gaia's '07 Halloween told by the point of view of a typical Gaian turned vampire. All finished now; hope you all liked it. Rated T for bloody vampireness. XD
1. Prologue The Journal

Edmund reached up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a yellowing sleeve before he extracted the needle. He watched with satisfaction as his patient's eyes lost their rabid glow, the teeth shrunk down to normal size, and the skin flushed with fresh color. Sitting before him now was an ordinary Gaian boy with messy blue hair and sparkling green eyes. "Thanks Edmund!" he said happily as he jumped down from the table and dashed out the door.

Behind him, Edmund heard a grunt. He turned and raised his eyebrows at his friend, Johnny Gambino, who was busy setting out more needles. Johnny was shaking his head.

"Why do we keep doing this, Edmund?" His golden locks bobbed and swished as he spoke. "You know perfectly well that that boy'll be back in less than a day, just the way he was when he came in here. We keep giving these brats the cure, then they run off and get themselves bitten, so they can fly around and bite people before turning around and crawling back for the cure so they can start all over again. What's the point, old friend? What difference are we really making?"

Edmund sighed and turned back around, a fresh needle in hand, waiting for the next patient to walk in. "All we can do is keep administering the cure and hoping that we don't run out. We cannot influence every last Gaian; I just hope that when the supply is completely gone, no one will have regrets about what state they find themselves in. But when you think on it, you might as well hope for it to rain boots or for Bass'ken Lake to fill up with cheese, for all the probability of it happening."

A black-haired girl walked in next, sitting down expectantly and fixing Edmund with her narrow, feral eyes. As Edmund swabbed her arm and prepared to insert the needle, the girl snarled almost involuntarily, her fangs still red from a recent feeding. As the needle sank into her arm and the cure began to make its way through her, her eyelids drooped and the fangs began to vanish. Edmund smiled, and then sighed. Another one down, and hundreds more to take her place. So far there was still plenty of cure to go around, but for how long he didn't know. He knew that Johnny was right in a sense; many of the Gaians that came back to be cured of their vampire state had been there several times, putting their bodies through the taxing pain of being made human, only to turn around and in less than a day get themselves bitten by one of the many who were still vampires. Many were doing this by walking right into what was once the vampires' base of operations: the Von Helson manor. Bold as brass they would walk in, opening themselves to a vampire bite, which would most assuredly come.

It was hard to believe that less than a week ago, access to the bases was denied to the opposite side, and all of the attacks had taken place all over Gaia. Humans armed with chainsaws and stakes, and the vampires with their great strength and razor-sharp fangs. It had been a week of terror and madness.

After the black-haired girl left, Edmund lowered his head, brought his hand up, and rubbed his temples. They had been at this since sun-up, and it was beginning to tell. He looked up as Johnny's large meaty hand rested on his shoulder. Johnny's face was just as haggard, and he looked at Edmund with a small smile. "Go on home, Edmund. I'll see to any that come in the middle of the night." Edmund almost declined, but he realized that pushing himself too hard would only result in him being more likely to make a mistake come tomorrow, and he liked being careful despite the war's end.

He picked up his long gray coat, strapped his sword within easy reach, and walked out the laboratory door, up a long flight of stairs and out of the bunker, into the night. It would be a rather long walk to Durem, but he liked the cool night air, and he knew without boasting that with the leader of the vampires, Vladimir Von Helson defeated, and his right hand man Zhivago gone missing, he was more than a match for any other vampire that he might cross this night. He didn't think it likely that he would run into any; when the war had ended so abruptly, many of the vampires had fled, some back to the manor, others to various other hiding places, and while they were seen ever so often mingling with the humans in various parts of Gaia, they had been keeping a low profile ever since. And although a truce had been called, there were still pockets of individuals who sought out the other side with a vengeance, and it would be a long time before the fighting stopped entirely, if at all.

Somewhere to Edmund's right, a twig snapped, sounding as loud as a gunshot in the silence of the night. Edmund stopped dead in his tracks, barely a few yards away from the entrance to the bunker, his hand on his sword hilt. Looking into a gathering of trees off to the right, he could almost make out a pair of glowing eyes watching him intently from beneath an unruly bunch of hair the color of dried blood. Recognition crossed Edmund's features, and he eased his grip on his sword hilt.

Here was a vampire, a girl he was certain, who for some odd reason had taken to watching him and the comings and goings of the lab since the middle of the war. She never approached, but always hid in the shadows and watched. She never bothered the humans who came around constantly, and she never bothered her fellow undead as they came to be cured and re-join the fight as humans.

When the war had been in full swing, Edmund had chased her away from the base entrance with others of her kind, and she had fled along with them, but she always returned after a while, sometimes as long as a day, to continue her mysterious vigil. He had called out to her once, "Are you here for a cure?" She had started and vanished. Edmund had heard a tinny, high-pitched screeching, and he looked up just in time to see a small black bat taking off in the night as though pursued by a hawk. An elder, he had thought, for he knew that the most powerful of the vampires were rewarded with the ability to change into a bat, in recognition of the number of humans they had bitten. Though it disgusted him, it also fascinated him. Was she a spy? What could she possibly discover outside of the base, when all of their workings were inside? Wouldn't an elder be better suited for the battlefield anyway? What was she doing then, if spying was not her intention? He had received no answers, so he had to be content with letting the questions swirl around in his mind, and still this girl saw fit to continue to watch him as closely as though she was expecting him to do a trick.

"What do you want?" he said loudly to the group of trees and the eyes that peered out. The twin yellow pinpricks of light faded, and then went out. Edmund felt as though his ears had been stuffed with cotton; the silence was suddenly overwhelming. He fancied he could still hear the last lingering echoes of his spoken question before it vanished, unanswered. Edmund narrowed his eyes, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. If this vampire girl chose to remain silent, then he would find out himself just what she was after. He tightened his grip on his sword hilt and walked backwards until he was well into the trees and shrubs that bordered the path. He could vaguely see the eyes, the yellow glow renewed, scanning the area for him like a pair of searchlights. Keeping low to the ground, he broke into a kind of trot to the left, making no more noise than the wind passing through the clusters of leaves. He had done this once when Louie had been sneaking around the base area, and he was certain it would work again.

Sure enough, after he had crossed the path a ways ahead and doubled back, it wasn't long before he saw a figure crouched in the bushes, peering intently at the now-empty path. A pale white hand stood out like a beacon against the dark bark of a tree she was steadying herself on. She was so intent on trying to locate him that like Louie, she didn't hear him at all until he was almost immediately behind her. Quick as a wink, he drew his sword and brought it down against the tree with a resounding THUNK, so close to her head that it neatly cut off a few strands of the girl's blood-red hair. She turned around with a small gasp, her mouth's O of surprise framed by two long, thin fangs. She squeezed her eyes shut and a few things happened at once. With her eyes screwed shut, the glow they had been emitting was shut off as abruptly as a lamp being switched off. There was a tiny poof sound, then a frenzied flapping mixed with a small thud as something hit the ground, and Edmund found himself with a face full of terrified bat. He swatted it away with his free hand, and it fluttered off, keening at the top of its little bat lungs. He peered down at where the vampire had been sitting and saw a dark yet familiar rectangular shape lying on the ground. He picked it up and discovered that it was a small book, bound in aged leather and covered in various stains and small tears. Trying not to look at the more reddish-hued stains, Edmund looked back up in the sky in the direction the vampire bat had gone. But it had already vanished, and the night was still and quiet as it continued serenely toward dawn. Edmund looked down at the book again, and almost without thinking, he shoved it deep into his coat pocket and continued on his way.

When he finally reached his home in Durem, he hurriedly unlocked the door and rushed inside, no longer confident that he wouldn't run into any unexpected company this night. He wondered for what seemed the fiftieth time what in Gaia he was going to do with the vampire's book. Once she noticed it was missing, she was bound to come looking for it, and it wasn't as though he had the anonymity of the average Gaian. He was a well-known figure, even more so since this war. He knew at least one vampire knew where he lived, and there was no way of knowing whether or not that information had been shared. For what seemed like the hundredth time, he wished he had just left the book by the tree where it had fallen.

But the deed was done, and as he hung up his coat, he could just see the bulge the book made in the pocket, almost as though it was demanding that it not be ignored until its kidnapper determined what was to be done with it. He reached into the pocket and pulled it out, absentmindedly turning it over and examining it. Aside from the stains and small tears, there was nothing else on the cover, no writing to indicate what might be written inside. No clasp or corner protectors decorated it, and when he chanced a quick look at the inside cover, there was no name. The writing, he saw as he flipped the pages, was neat, but rather thin and spidery, and he hoped to the powers that be that they were in red INK instead of what immediately came to mind when he saw the red letters. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he gave it one last hard look, and it was almost as though the tears and stains on the book were coming together to make a face of stern disapproval, saying "Well are you going to read me, or just sit there like a dummy and try to burn a hole through me with your eyes?"

Edmund placed the book on a table next to his armchair by the fireplace, then went off to change and make himself a cup of hot tea. When he returned, he sat down, opened the book, and began to read.


	2. Day One

The first thing he noticed was that it was a diary. A diary with no dates. As he read, he saw that it all seemed to block together to form a six day account. He figured this was based on confusion on the part of the writer; after all, she had become a day sleeper in an instant. That would certainly throw off anyone's concept of time passage.

_Today, it began. As short and swiftly as that. From one end of Gaia to the other they massed, nearly a hundred thousand strong with barely room to attack. But attack we did, as though some signal was given, and almost immediately the air was filled with cries, screams and shouts. It was as though all of Gaia had gone mad._

_I was among them, moving more slowly than others I confess, though not because I was any less eager. It was just so crammed, that like people in line, many of us had to wait our turn before we even got a first strike in. It was that way for many of us, but we were all seething with the lust for battle, eager to crush the first foe we saw._

_As I was on the lookout for foes the same as everyone, I noticed almost right away that there wasn't much 'foe' to go around. Stake in hand, I scanned the shadows for any sign of glowing yellow eyes or the gleam of pointed teeth. I did see them, but more often than not, before I could so much as raise my stake, dozens of my fellow humans would come from everywhere and come at the surprised vampire until there was scarce left but a huge bloodstain and a creature writhing as it rapidly began to make the turn from vampire to human. We already knew that too many bites from a vampire would make you a vampire; now we learned that too many stakes turn a vampire human. As one, we would leave the creature writhing in the dirt and go in search of fresh prey._

_After a short while, the vampires got smarter. They began to attack stealthily; leap out, bite, and disappear into the shadows before the victim even knew what hit them. They were still caught and staked, but now there were less of them turning into humans._

_But there were also less humans turning. The hunters noticed that popping up everywhere were radical humans who wandered about alone, calling out to the vampires and begging to be bitten, that they may join them in their blood feasting. The hunters sought these out, and followed them quietly, waiting for the cries to be answered. And sure enough, when the willing vampires descended, the hunters were waiting with their sharpened stakes and large numbers. When the vampires began to be more cautious of answering the radicals' calls, the hunters sent out one of their own as bait, imitating them and drawing them close for the hunters to massacre. Thus the vampires' ranks continued to deplete._

_It wasn't until I was helping in the staking of one such vampire that as his tortured shrieks landed on my ears and his blood sprinkled onto my face like rain that I suddenly stopped and came to a sort of revelation. I could see myself what seemed like months ago, alone in my house, answering a knock that turned out to be Edmund, asking all who would listen for help in retrieving purple orchids, explaining that it wouldn't be long before a huge conflict would take place, and they needed all the help they could. I remembered seeing his face, the earnest expression, my eyes constantly wandering to that strange scar, and I heard my own voice as though I was speaking aloud right there. "Don't worry; I'll be there. You can count on me." I remembered feeling proud that anyone would want me to join up and fight with them, never mind that the same offer was being put forward for all Gaians. Edmund had asked me for help, and I would respond._

_But as I lingered behind the group of humans, looking down as the vampire finally shuddered and lay still, I contemplated. In approximately five minutes the vampire would awaken, no longer a part of the ranks of undead, but a warm-blooded breathing human. I wondered; how many of them wanted such a transformation? I knew there were some, just as there were humans who wanted to change. But with vampires, all it took was a small bite and their needs were fulfilled. The humans in their rage would not be satisfied until the last vampire died._

_Slowly I began to feel shame creep into my mind like a burrowing insect, shame at my fellow humans, who used treachery and underhanded tactics to flush the enemy out, who loved so much for blood to be spilled. It didn't matter to me that we were in a war Had I known that this was to become Edmund's army, I would have declined and gone with the Von Helson sisters when they had asked the same thing of me. I took one more look at the unconscious vampire, now a rapidly healing human laying in a pool of drying blood, and wondered what he would feel when he woke up and discovered the change. My shame turned to anger, and I threw down my stake and walked away, never once looking back._

_It was then that I began to wander around as the fanatics did, calling out and hoping for an answer, or even a bite. But by now the vampires were so cautious that they were seldom appearing at all, and were wary of the hopefuls, remembering the bait used by the hunters. I called and called, beseeching them, telling them that I was wrong to side with the humans, that I would rather be with them, preserving their race and living in the shadows, which were steadily gaining appeal, while the glaring searchlights and torches of the humans seemed all the harsher. It was as though I was subconsciously starting to conform to their ways, becoming a willing vessel for immortality. But I was only one in thousands of hopefuls, and the odds remained against me._

_There were two who were brave enough to have a go at me; I don't even remember what either one looked like. They were suddenly there, I felt a sudden harsh sting on the side of my neck, then they were gone and I was left standing there, blood trickling from the two small holes in my neck and staining my shirt collar._

_But becoming one of them would take much more than two bites, and no matter how much I implored them, no more vampires came to me. I retired from the battlefield bitterly disappointed, my neck aching where the bites had been. I have never felt the burden of mortality as keenly as I have tonight. I sit here, busily writing, wondering wearily if this was to be the first of many nights where I would be here, miserable and alone, part of a whole that I would much rather be cut off from. I find myself rather jealous of those vampires, being part of a unit that acts more like a large family than an army. "Brothers and sisters by blood" you might say. I chuckle dryly as I finish, and as I ready myself for a long night of sleep, I fancy I hear a bat's squeaky voice just outside my window._


	3. Day Two

_Today found me back on the battlefield with all the enthusiasm of a child going to the dentist. There was nothing for me here, it seemed. I didn't want to fight vampires, and I wandered around the humans base subdued, avoiding Edmund and everyone else. I didn't feel like I was a part of them anymore. I wonder if I ever did._

_But it wasn't long before luck found me at last. I was about ready to finally resign to being a human, when I suddenly saw before me a pair of yellow eyes, looking at me with unmistakable intent. I blinked in surprise, not only because it seemed as though I had finally been answered, but because the eyes staring back at me were familiar. The vampire stepped out of the shadows, and I saw the spiky black hair, the dark clothes, and the toned, physically fit form. Yes, I knew this person well; I usually saw her every day on Gaia, and even with the changes to her countenance, there was no mistaking her._

_"Kranky?"_

_She nodded once, and then she turned and began to walk swiftly toward an alley draped in shadows. When she reached it, she turned once more and motioned for me to follow._

_I followed her from shadow to shadow, avoiding places where shouts rang out, and where torchlight blazed angrily, down narrow paths where the walls seemed to almost meet above our heads. Finally, she turned to the left and vanished through a door that was rotted and almost off its hinges. I followed her and stopped short as the door quickly closed behind me. The light that came in through the door's gaps shone only the first few feet in; beyond that, there was only darkness, so thick I could almost feel it seeping into my lungs as I breathed. I became aware that it was completely silent in this place; even the muffled cries outside seemed to have been shut away._

_"Kranky?" I called out into the darkness, and in reply I suddenly saw four pairs of yellow eyes gleaming out into the darkness. The room was suddenly filled with quiet hissing noises, like the whisper of silk dragging on the floor. The eyes began to move in closer, and I took an involuntary step back. The meager light from the door coupled with the feral glow of the eyes soon told me whom I was in the presence of._

_Kranky was there, smiling and showing me an alarming set of gleaming fangs. Beside her, two more advanced, almost twins in their appearance; Bela and Sela, two more of my friends. And leading the way, barely a foot from me, was Emerald. Her eyes bore into me like headlights, and her face was framed by her water-element hair, dripping water on her clothes and trickling down the side of her face. She looked like a water demon, rising up from the murky depths to prey upon the hapless living and dragging them down to the soul-less abyss to be devoured._

_I suddenly felt elation surging up through me like water through a broken dam, and I thought I could hear words among the vampires' thrumming hiss. "Join usss...beeeee our ssssssister..." All I could do was nod, and I smiled rather than flinched when I felt their icy cold hands clamp down onto my arms, and their breath on my neck like a blast of chilled air from an icebox, and steeled myself for the feeding._

_How could I possibly describe what happened next? It is a feeling I have tried countless times to write out just the right way, and never coming close. I describe it to the best of my ability, but I have come to the conclusion that nothing written in mere words will ever be enough._

_For several seconds, the pain from the bites was excruciating, then as they continued to feed, the stings subsided to aches, then numbness as the blood left my body too quickly for it to replenish. I could feel it spreading, my fingers growing cold as the very life seeped out of my body like wine through a punctured wineskin. I could feel my heartbeat slow, and then I actually heard it stop. I remember feeling so cold, my arms and legs twitching slightly, as though trying to hold onto what tiny bit of life they had. Strangely, I was thinking on all this with the same brain energy that I had when I was full of living blood._

_Suddenly, I felt a strange feeling deep inside of me, where my cold heart had come to a stop. It felt like someone had begun to stoke a tiny fire, and it gained intensity in a matter of seconds, though my heart was still quiet, and the chill was still heavy on my skin. Blood began to flow again, though it felt thick and sluggish in my veins, like molasses. I felt my two canine teeth growing, cutting the underside of my lip as they grew, and without thinking, I moved my tongue around and licked the thick blood, relishing it. My eyes began to grow hot, as though they were twin balls of fire, and as I looked at the waxy faces above me, I could see the light from my eyes lighting up their faces and reflecting in their own eyes._

_I suddenly felt as though I could move again, and as I wiggled my fingers to test them, my four friends brought me up and stood me on my own two feet. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were so pale that they seemed to give off their own muted white light. I ran my tongue along my teeth, testing their new sharpness. I suddenly felt a hunger, a massive craving, so strong that already my insides felt as though they were eating themselves out of the sheer need to be appeased. I saw my friends (sisters?) grinning at me, and I returned it, knowing full well what was to happen next._

_Strange how I fail to remember what color his hair was, or his eyes, but I do remember what he had tasted like. He had rushed in just as we had finished, breaking the door to pieces, his stake at the ready. All I could see of him was the little blue vein in his neck, standing out like a beacon, pulsating as he stood there panting, deciding which of us to attack first. He settled on Sela, and drove his stake into her body with a sickening thunk. Though it wasn't a very strong attack, we all felt the white heat of pure outrage, and Kranky, Bela, Emerald and I descended upon him, eager to be the first to bite the offending youth. I don't even remember if I was first, but it didn't matter; he had the honor of being my first victim just the same. I sank my teeth into his neck, marveling at how easily they penetrated, just as easily as a pair of normal teeth would puncture a wad of cotton candy. But compared to the resulting elixir that boiled to the surface, the sweetest cotton candy was old and chewy, the juiciest fruit was wooden and hard, and even the richest red wine seemed like tap water. It was like nothing I have ever tasted before; smooth, with a metallic tang that had my monstrous craving purring and lapping it up like a kitten. I thought it would be agony to ever let go. I could feel him struggling to break free, and when he finally did, he came at us yet again with renewed determination. I looked at him with new eyes and wondered at such foolish bravery before dismissing it as the mindlessness of cattle. Before long I grew weary of this one human, and with my sisters I left him, dispersing through the ruined door and into the shadows. I never knew what became of that boy, and I found that I didn't really care._

_I prowled the shadows with a new kind of enthusiasm; the endless sea of humans doing battle and seeking us out looked to me like so many walking wineskins full of the crimson elixir of life. I felt saliva drip down my fangs, mingling with the last lingering drops of blood to fall and stain the ground with pink. I knew what to do, but I was so overwhelmed that I just didn't know where to begin. I suddenly heard a hoarse shout from the left growing louder, and I stepped deeper into the shadows, dimming the glow of my eyes, and watched as a Gaian wearing what looked like a thrown-together samurai warrior outfit stumbled by, waving his stake like a flag. "Come on, vamps! Think you can take me on? Come out and fight, you filthy bloodsuckers! Cowards!" I waited until he was past me, then with a rather demonic grin stealing over my face like a rash, I used my newly acquired stealth and followed him._

_I can't really recall how many I fed upon today; I didn't bother to count them (count, get it?). I feel strangely lightheaded, like when I had my first Mudslide and nobody saw fit to mention to me that it was best that you eat something beforehand. I don't think I shall have any trouble sleeping tonight. The houses in Towns are in a safe zone, so I can rest easy. I would have stayed on at the Von Helson mansion, but it was a little too big and damp for my resting place. Still, I found it much better than the human's base. My fellow vampires were rather kind and helpful, welcoming me with open arms, and the first few times when I had misjudged the enemy and had stumbled back to the base with open wounds and jangled nerves, they were quick to sooth and heal. I was fascinated by the vampires' healing process, and after watching several self-appointed medics at it, I ventured to try it myself. Having felt it myself I could easily imagine how nice it felt to the wounded; the gentle red light penetrating the skin, seeking out the breaks and tears and carefully making them whole again. It was actually pleasant in a way, like the small aches one gets after doing a hard day's work. I succeeded, and though I felt proud to have done something, I knew that I was more suited for the battlefield, and there I would remain._


	4. Day Three

_The entire day went by in a whirl. It was like being stuck on a merry-go-round, but you didn't want to get off. With my new powers I re-entered the fray, joining the now growing ranks of undead, attacking in groups and vanishing without a trace. I remember feeling privileged to be among the select few, especially when I saw the other hopefuls yet to be bitten, those who didn't have such good friends to surround then and turn them. I obliged some, others I scoffed at. I preferred to attack those who were passionate about doing away with us; a bite administered to them always yielded great quantities, and it was always sweeter from it being pounded through the mortal body and replenished with oxygen. I saw my friends on occasion, mingled in with the glowing eyes and wax faces, but most of the time I concentrated solely on invading yet another Gaian's personal space._

_As I fought, I found myself beginning to learn new skills. Aside from the gradual adaptations like learning the swiftest way to pounce, grab and bite, the more I feasted, the more powerful I grew, and soon the power began to show itself in various surprising ways._

_The first that came to me was a particularly deep bite. I made to bite the neck of another nameless victim in my soon-to-be-long list, when I felt filled with a white-hot rage, and the bite I delivered to him suddenly went so deep that it seemed as though I must bite off the entire section of his neck if I did not hold myself in check. My eyes widened in surprise as my face was splashed with blood; it flowed so profoundly that I was beginning to choke with the trouble of taking it all in. My victim's scream had a whole different pitch; it sounded in my ears like the sweet music played at fancy restaurants when one eats. When I withdrew, I had to pause in the shadows to catch my breath, shaking my head with wonder at the surge of power I had felt. A fellow vampire joined me in the shadow and smiled at me, her fangs red and dripping. "You've gotten a special power. The more you feast, the more you'll have." With no further explanation, she disappeared in a puff and I could just make out the tiny bat winging its way skyward like a scrap of tattered cloth. I stared up long after the bat had vanished, wondering when such a power would be mine._

_I learned thereafter to use my developing powers in moderation; using any of them too many times left one rather drained and slow, making you more vulnerable to the hunters, who were still out with a vengeance, for they apparently had their own goals to meet and powers to earn. I liked the dangerously violent bite, for it took away an entire fifth of the victim's lifeblood, but it also depleted easily half of my body's stored power, so I used it sparingly. I settled for weaker attacks, for when you attempted a stronger attack, you in your fervor had a greater tendency to miss and leave yourself wide open to your victim's retaliation. Better to be calmer and get your small amount then go for a greater feeding and risk losing your life, or worse, transforming back into the land of the living._

_Other powers came into light: the ability to move quickly and enable me to attack more victims in less time, and the ability to turn into mist after a successful attack to avoid retaliation by the hunters (I never really used that one very much; separating yourself like that feels really creepy)._

_My powers of healing grew along with my powers of hurt, although if I had my way, I'd probably redirect some of that energy more toward the fighting and biting abilities. Still, it was good to return the favor after limping time and time again back to the base, begging for a healing. I learned how to share blood, heal more quickly, and in rare cases where help was needed sorely, the ability to fully heal by the sharing of souls. I must admit, that last one I used only once, and it took ages for the fragments of the other's soul to finally return to their own body._

_It got to where I could restore almost half of the life of a vampire, placing them well out of danger from the unwilling transformation into a human. I was sympathetic with those who came in so near to death, or life, if you will. They seemed genuinely terrified of turning and they were frequently seen, almost in tears, exclaiming that they didn't want to turn back. I felt for them; I myself would sooner die and stay dead forever than go back to the life I had once led, condemned to one form, walking around with your insides sloshing, your blood flowing like water through veins and arteries. It seemed almost criminal, like a feast set out on a table and no one around to eat it._

_As my power grew, so did my rank. At first, we were drilled like battle recruits by Vladimir Von Helson and his second in command, Zhivago; promises to whip us into shape and make us worthy to be part of the army of undead that would in time swallow all of Gaia. I returned time and time again, and as I advanced with the others, that attitude changed from grudging admittance that we might be worth something as a vampire after all, to open praise of our achievements. I felt as proud as though I had won a reading trophy instead of contaminating the blood of over 150 Gaians._

_Finally, after what seemed like no time at all, I achieved what I had for so long desired; Zhivago's nod of approval, the rank of Elder, the ability to transform whenever I wished into a bat, and the highest and most destructive of our powers; a lethal bite that not only had the strength of a strong attack no matter how hard I bit, but would actually leech away almost half of the victim's life and transfer it to me. I could hardly wait to try it out, and the first time was pure elation. It made my first bite pale in comparison. The rush of power flowing through my chilled body made me feel like I could turn right around and lift up the Wall of Gambino with my bare hands._

_It was the happiest I had felt since turning. The entire battlefield was open to me now; I had reached the point of perfection among vampire-kind. The cruel jabs of the humans' wooden stakes now seemed like so many flea bites, and even their strongest were painful but trivial, like a broken arm or a bruised rib. I felt as though nothing could touch me, and nothing could come between me and my victims._

_And yet...as I stood there in my selfish glory, my thoughts suddenly turned to Edmund. I had promised to help him with the approaching menace, and here I was a menace in my own right, the very one he had asked me for help against. I had promised, and I had betrayed him._

_The thought quieted me, and on a whim, I donned my bat form and flew over to where the human's base was said to be. I landed in a tree, turned back, and slowly climbed down to watch the entrance and its comings and goings. It seemed busy enough; humans walking, crawling, and even running in, clawing at their skin and trying to tug out their rapidly growing fangs, others being carried in by the self-appointed human healers, and every so often, a stray vampire, head lowered, asking humbly to be given the cure for their 'ailment'._

_Edmund himself was overseeing the traffic at the door. He ushered in the wounded, but if a vampire approached, he chased it away. "Away with you!" he would shout, "Back to the shadows with your bloodthirsty kin! Unless of course you have come for a cure..." It was almost like a ritual, and I watched it for hours, fascinated. Some vampires were just there to attempt to spy or breach the base, but none ever got far enough. I wondered with small amusement that if Edmund could see this well with glasses, his vision was probably such that they weren't needed. Then again, I mused, people in Gaia wear glasses for looks, and not always for practical use._

_Suddenly, Edmund's head turned and he caught sight of me. I froze, wondering what he was going to do. I knew, of course; he was going to ask if I wished to be cured. I would be taking part in a ritual that I had been watching for the past several hours. The thought frightened me unreasonably, and the thought that came on the others' heels almost turned me to stone. Suppose he recognizes me? "That's silly," a small voice in my head said, "He recruited tens of thousands of Gaians, and I would bet that somewhere in the mix there are at least ten who look just like you." "JUST like me?" another voice shot back, "Suppose he remembers seeing something singular about you? Your eagerness to help, or even something you had been wearing?" I could just see the first voice rolling its theoretical eyes, but my own voice said, almost too low to hear, "He wouldn't know, but I would." At that moment, I heard him call out to me. "Have you come to be cured?" It startled me so much that I immediately transformed and took off into the night as though the Four Horsemen themselves were after me._

_I lay here now, still shaking from my visit to the base. I can't stop thinking about him, and how he seemed to look right through me when we when he asked me if I wanted to be cured from my vampirism. I know he says it to every vampire that comes to him, but I can't help but think that there was more meaning this time around, as though he knew my anguish and was offering me a chance to take it all back and start again._

_But I like being a vampire. I like my relationship with shadow, and even my wonderful and terrible blood thirst. I feel awful for going back on my word, but would I really give up what I had wanted so badly and tried so hard to get? Besides, what if he didn't even remember me out of all his potential recruits, and here I am worrying my hair into grayness for nothing? Gah, I'm worrying about worrying; how ridiculous is that?_

_I really hope this is all a conscience-based ordeal and not the result of a budding crush. I read somewhere that vampires have a tendency to become amorous. Note to self: ask Zhivago if there's a way to bypass that. I would ask the Von Helson sisters because they're easier to approach, but they're entirely wrong for that question._


	5. Day Four

Today I came face to face with a great and terrible fear. I learned what it means to be truly terrified despite my inherent immortality. I learned that the unthinkable can happen to all of us, from the inept Mosquito to the heroic Elder. I learned what it felt like to be turned into a human.

I look back and shake my head in wonder; I never thought it could happen to me. With my powers at their peak, I thought the danger of such a strong attack was past. But it goes to show me that even cattle can band together and cause destruction when they've a mind to.

It started out just like the other days on the battlefield; small bites to build up energy for the blood-drenching, vein-draining super-bite, the one that left them gasping with half their life energy coursing through my cold body and strengthening me. Some of the hunters had even come as far as bantering with the vampires as they fought each other. It was contagious, and I even found myself gently chiding a young boy as I sank my teeth into his neck and his blood filled my mouth; he had called out upon spotting me and told me to do something very vulgar as he had stuck his toothpick of a stake into my flesh. It wasn't too terribly bad; some of them only wanted to attack us to up their ranks and their lists of mauled undead. I gave it little enough thought, since their worst attack took away a fifth of my life energy at the most.

The unthinkable happened later on that day. I was out with three of my brothers and sisters, stalking a group that seemed to consist of half radicals and half newly fledged hunters; in short, easy prey. There didn't seem to be any others around; perhaps we didn't look hard enough. We had barely descended upon them when the surrounding area seemed to come alive with hunters. Caught completely by surprise, we tried to run, to change form, to do anything to escape. But as I tried to summon up the shape-changing reflex, a veteran hunter, his cape spreading in my line of vision like spilled ink, reached up to me and thrust his stake hard into my side. I heard myself scream in anguish; a keening, surreal sound even in my own ears; and I glanced down and saw my thick gooey blood bubbling up and over the jagged hole. Panic began to eat at my thoughts, and the will to change form fled. I heard the cries and curses of my fellows as they vanished under a flurry of writhing humans, and as I looked up from where I had fallen, I saw dozens of faces above me, grinning maniacally, their stakes poised and ready. I struggled to the last, but in the end I fell under a twisting mass of human bodies, and as I felt the continuous thuds of many, many stakes being driven into me, my world turned black.

The first thing I noticed when I regained consciousness was that I felt as though someone had thrust me into a furnace and left me there to burn. There was a loud, continuous thudding in my ears that shook my entire body and promised a headache if I listened too closely. My world was ablaze; I felt as though I was in the grip of a terrible fever, coursing through my battered body like a horrible fire, singing my insides and filling me with turmoil and anguish. I brought my hand up to my head, and was astonished to discover that it was dry; not a drop of sweat beaded my forehead, though touching it was like touching a hot iron. I looked about me, the infernal thudding filling my ears and making me flinch, but I appeared to be alone, lying right where I had fallen. Beaten by cattle, I thought, how embarrassing. Suddenly realizing something, I sat up quickly, and the absence of pain never caused me such dread as it did then. I held up my hands, which were now as soft and pink as flower petals. I ran my tongue along my teeth; my canines had shrunk and dulled to a point that wouldn't even cut paper. I summoned up all the strength I could muster and clenched my fists; they now seemed as weak and fragile as...as...my eyes were suddenly huge as I brought up my left hand and clutched the skin covering my chest. I felt the thumping beneath, in perfect sync with the thudding that I had been hearing. The undeniable realization hit me like a bucket of ice water; my skin was warm and alive, my teeth were normal, my surroundings in darkness where hours ago I could see a roach crawling along the wall in pitch black, and the horrible thudding was none other than my heart, awakened from its cold slumber to push my hot blood through my veins at a breakneck pace. I felt like a tape on fast forward, everything inside of me was happening too fast and precariously, and for an instant, I felt dizzy. Tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes, and even they retained some measure of warmth as they slid down my pink face.

I shakily stood up some minutes later and looked around. Everything was dark and empty; the hunters had left long ago in search of more prey. I saw the two other vampires sprawled some feet away, still unconscious and blissfully unaware of their steady transformation. I staggered toward them and saw the color returning to their faces, the canines shrinking, even the little veins in their necks beginning to throb with new life. I turned away, unable to look any longer. I was afraid that if I looked for too much longer, I would envision them as new cattle, the way a hungry man in the cartoons envisions his friends as a turkey or a sandwich. Then I realized once more that I couldn't do anything even if I did see them that way; I was trapped inside a mortal body that throbbed and burned. The thudding made it hard to think, but I managed it somehow.

The human's base had cures for the vampires, so it stood to reason that the vampire's base, the Von Helson manor, would have the means to turn me back without having to go through all that begging and searching. SO I had to make my way through all the chaos and wasteland to the manor and ask to be cured of mortality. I looked down at my feet and sighed. It would be a long walk, and already I sorely missed my little bat body.

I had been fighting near the Wall of Gambino, so it took me quite a while to walk all the way West to the base. I more or less ignored any fighting I came across; I was so anxious to become a vampire again that I didn't want to wait around for more bites. Even Edmund was the farthest thing from my mind at that moment; all I could think about was putting one foot in front of the other, to keep on moving forward, to eventually reach the place where my feverish, tortured body would be at peace.

It was nightfall by the time I saw the tall towers of the Von Helson manor, and the stars were out and about by the time I climbed the last step and stood before the huge double doors of the entrance. I brought up my hand, which felt like bringing up a sack full of sloshing water, and knocked. I didn't know what sort of reception I would receive, having never come here as a human. I knew there would be a guard, just as Edmund guarded the entrance to the human's base, but in my dull, tired mind, I couldn't recall who the guard was.

The door creaked open, and all of the saliva evaporated in my mouth and throat. Standing before me was Vladimir Von Helson, his black cape fluttering slightly in the night air, his piercing red eyes staring down at me with a fire that seemed to quail my body's own. His dark hair, shot with grey, gleamed in the manor's dim lights, and in his presence I felt like a roach before a lion. He stared down at me with an air that seemed part hostility, part disgust, and part undeniable hunger.

"So, you have come to join us, have you?"

His voice seemed to rumble and shake the ground, and my puny human knees gave out. I sank slowly to the ground as I looked upon him, shameful tears in my eyes. "Sir...my Lord...it's me."

It felt like a silly thing to say, even then, but somehow the message got across. In two swift strides he was beside me, peering down at my face and into my eyes. Realization stole across his features, and he straightened up. "You were one of us...weren't you?" he said softly. I nodded, my shoulders shaking as I held back the sobs that were threatening to break forth. I felt an emotional surge; he may or may not know me personally, but it seemed he knew a vampire at heart when he saw one.

I felt his hands close around my arms like a pair of vices, and he lifted me up with almost no effort. I felt my feet leave the ground, and as he drew me close to him, I could feel the muscles in his chest thrumming with what I was sure was enough checked power to tear off one of the manor's towers at its base. I felt a gust of positively foul breath on my neck, and I willingly tilted my head and offered my neck to him. I felt his teeth sinking in, and the familiar pain of losing one's mortality again, although this time, the pain was satisfying, like picking off the mother of all scabs. I could only imagine how many other necks those teeth had sunk into, how many kinds of blood they had been stained with, how many cattle had been attacked by him personally. I could feel a thousand years of hunger fueling those fangs as they bit harder, draining away my life and my blood, until I could feel my body growing cold once more, and the familiar comforting pinch of the fangs as they grew back. My eyes burned with inner fire once more, and there I was, whole again, the fever quenched with the icy chill of death.

I opened my mouth to thank him, but before I could utter a sound, he abruptly let me go and I fell to the ground in an undignified heap, biting down on my tongue. As I moved the wounded thing around in my mouth and savored the taste it left, he leaned toward me, an expression of utmost seriousness on his face. "You were careless. Do not be so again. We need all of the experience we can get to win this war and subdue every last human." He whirled around and marched back inside without closing the door, his cape swirling and billowing as he went. I picked myself up off of the ground, my face colored just slightly, since there wasn't enough blood left in me to blush properly, and I followed him inside.

I served my penance cheerfully by hanging around the makeshift hospitals at the base, healing whenever I could. I was so glad to be back into the fold, I was especially eager to help those who were closest to experiencing that awful feeling of humanity. No one should have to go through that, I thought.

As I flew back into the battlefield for one last round of neck-crunching before I retired for the night, I could actually smell the fresh scent of new blood on the air, newly spilled. I followed the tangy scent like a bloodhound, and a hiss of glee escaped from my little bat mouth. My family had healed me, and I was back with a vengeance.

And I am still back, wiser now than I was before. I learned that no matter what, humans can still get the best of you if you aren't careful. They may not be as smart, but they're definitely not as dumb as some of us think. Though they still serve their primary use as vessels well, full of the very elixir of life, and I had better end this now, before this train of thought reawakens my hunger and I have to go out again for another bite.


	6. Day Five

_The sun is not the only thing that soars high today. Tempers are flaring right and left as the word continues to spread. The select group of Gaians who oversee all the goings-on of the world, the Mauds, have predicted that the violent war between vampire and human will very soon come to an end. Both sides raised their voices in protest before renewing their attacks with fresh and fierce determination. Each and every warrior wishes to reach the peak of their glory and achievement before it all ends, for the words of the Mauds are seldom wrong._

_I among them did not worry; I was already as good as I could get, though just because I could, I renewed my attacks and bit just for the sake of biting. It was exhilarating; all of the energy put out by the people fighting; it was as though the entire battlefield was charged with static that at any time might let off a loud pop and bring us all to our knees._

_My thoughts still strayed toward Edmund, and near midday I found myself winging toward the human's base for my daily vigil of watching. Imagine my surprise when I alighted and peeked out of the bushes and no one was there. Snatches of booming yells from that loudmouth Johnny Gambino were heard plain as day, but no Edmund guarded the entrance. I cocked my head in confusion. Surely with the battle so close to its climax they wouldn't leave the door exposed? No, I told myself as I smiled an uneasy smile. Humans were mere cattle, but even cattle know when to band together when danger is eminent. Where then had he gone? Was he inside the base perhaps, readying for the overflow that must surely come? Was he out in the thick of the fighting? It suddenly occurred to me; he might be on a mission. I knew that not long before the war began, Johnny's son Gino had gone missing. Was he trying to find Gino? But what good would that do against the vampires? Surely he would be attempting something riveting, something that would change the course of the war for their side..._

_I suddenly had a thought resurface; there were prisoners in the Von Helson manor. I had on more than one occasion passed by the door leading down into the dungeons and caught the tiniest whiff of fresh, unshed blood. There were other vampires who claimed they had smelled the same, but whenever they had made the slightest move to investigate, Zhivago would be seen skulking in a corner or hanging upside-down as a bat, fixing them with his beady red eyes. The message was clear enough; those who were smart would mind their own business._

_I had shrugged it off and came up with my own explanations. Perhaps Ian was down there, or his brother Louie. Their relationship with the Count was common knowledge among our kind, as well as their standing. I had been surprised when I had found out that Ian was tied in with this strange family, but I smiled and told myself that stranger things had happened in Gaia._

_But now I wondered anew about the captives in the dungeon. Who was REALLY down there? Was it Gino, being held captive or as a hostage? It was possible; it seemed like nearly everyone had some beef or another with Johnny Gambino. Maybe Gino was being held as leverage. The thought made me feel uncomfortable; I was well as hundreds of other females in the world of Gaia harbored a small crush on the young millionaire. Who else would be down there? The smell was too much for just one human, unless in their careless sadism they had spilled so much of Gino's blood that it would be that pungent. Steering quickly away from such a thought, I tried to think who else might be there...it had to be either Ian or Louie. It would certainly explain the vampires' gain in power and how devastating it had been; if they had one of the brothers, they were attempting to flush out the other. And if he ended up on the wrong side of an attack, more's the better. It certainly made sense at the time._

_But curiosity has a way with me; it gets a grip on my mind, and will not let go until I satisfy it. I sighed in self-disgust, morphed into a bat, and took off in the direction of the Von Helson manor._

_When I arrived, it was quieter than usual; many of the vampires were off battling. The Count as far as I knew was conferring with Zhivago. The Von Helson sisters...I stifled a giggle as I thought of them. I had never been able to look at them straight since the rumor had flown through the ranks of vampires that they had become hopelessly taken with one of the prisoners. The girls especially spoke in quiet whispers, tittering like a bunch of parakeets, tossing stories around with the Von Helson sisters begging their comely captive to kiss his biceps and make his pecs dance._

_As fragments of gossip buzzed in my ears like mosquitoes, my brow wrinkled in thought. Neither Gino, Ian nor Louie sounded like the guy they had been describing. Gino didn't have any muscle to speak of, Ian was average and Louie was just plain lanky. And even imagining each of them in mortal peril, it was still hard to imagine any of them kissing their own bicep. Who then?_

_I walked over to the doorway leading down to the dungeons, surprised that it too seemed deserted. Taking as few chances as possible, I opened the door a crack before walking a ways down the hall, morphing into a bat, then flying through the door and down into the manor's dungeons._

_My bat senses seemed to cry out happily; it was dark, cold and damp; a bat's cool and sweet, and the smell was not at all offensive to my little bat nose. Much of the laze of corridors was almost completely black, and I sang out to find my own way around. It was hardly necessary, since my eyes were still sharper than an average bat's, but I did like hearing my own barely perceptible squeals and shrieks as I flew along, beating my wings and feeling the damp wind make little beads of moisture on my fur._

_It wasn't long before I heard small sounds coming from somewhere up ahead. I followed the sounds until I came to another door that stood ajar. I maneuvered my body and just made it in, where I fluttered up to the ceiling and hung down from a rafter, looking down on the scene below._

_The first thing I saw was a remarkable head of flowing blond locks that could only be Gino's. And beside him...my eyes narrowed with mirth and a squeaky sort of chuckle escaped from my tiny mouth. Liam. Of course._

_He was surrounded by at least a score of female vampires, the Von Helson sisters draped on either side of him, twirling locks of his hair in their fingers and nuzzling his neck. The rest were crowded around him as though trying to get as close as possible, and my eyes widened when I saw that his chains were dangling behind him instead of holding him fast. Gino, whose chains were still in place, was virtually being ignored and was staring at the whole thing with resigned disbelief._

_"Hey Liam, do you think you could stop being an idiot for one minute and ask one of them to free us and let us go?" Liam sent a wink his way. "Relax, man; we're safe as can be here. These ladies wouldn't harm us now, would you ladies?" He directed this last part to the crowd of females and they all seemed to make happy kitten sounds as they drew in even closer._

_I watched the whole thing and felt the anguish of not being able to laugh out loud. All that came out was a strange chirrup that sounded more like a bird with the hiccups than a bat. Liam must have heard, because he raised his head and saw me hanging there. "Hey there, baby; why don't you drop the wings and fur and come on down here? I bet you're really hot under that bat persona, and there's a piece of me with your name on it." I almost choked with mirth at his goofy sweet-talk. I let go of the rafter and spiraled down to where they were. I flew so close to Liam that I felt his hair brush against my underside, but instead of taking Liam's advice, I swooped toward Gino and flew a few quick circles around his head._

_He didn't seem to appreciate a vampire bat so close to him. "Get away! Go on!" He tried to shoo me away by waving his arms, but the chains kept him from doing anything more than wave his hands. I let one of my wings brush his golden hair and then I took off out the door, leaving the silliness behind me._

_My thoughts flew along with me. So it was Gino and Liam in that dungeon. So it wasn't Louie or Ian being held down there. So Edmund COULD be coming to rescue them, but it didn't seem for certain. I felt a small pang of worry. I knew Edmund to be a great fighter; goodness knows he didn't get that scar from sitting around sipping tea and reading poetry, and he definitely didn't use that sword of his to chop salad. But he wouldn't be rash enough to come here by himself, with thousands of vampires standing between him and the prisoners. For the second time that day, I smiled and shook my head no. I guessed that Gino and Lover-Boy Liam would have to sit tight for a while._

_The image of Liam being surrounded by all those girls renewed my smile, and when I heard the echo of his voice in my head urging me as only he could to come down and join them, I lost what little control I had, and before I reached the manor's side exit, I transformed back into my regular form and laughed until I felt quite weak. Gino's right, I thought, he IS an idiot._

_I stumbled outside, barely paying attention as the door creaked open and I stepped out into the cool night. I was still trying to get a hold of myself when I stumbled and fell right into Edmund, who had appeared out of nowhere with what looked like a hunting rifle. My next laugh seemed to stick in my throat, and I felt what little heat I had in my body leave. Before I could even blink to see if he was really there, his sword was out and the tip was just an inch from one of my eyes. I froze, sitting in a collapsed heap on the ground, breathing through my mouth in terrified gasps. My eyes began to smart; I couldn't bring myself to blink. Edmund's face was a stern, glowering mask, and he seemed to wait and see what I was going to do next._

_I knew that if he used his gun on me, it would bring every vampire on the base to this spot, but that being the case, why bring such a noisy weapon at all? Unless...unless once it was used, the noise wouldn't matter. A sniping attempt. My eyes widened and a gasp of recognition escaped. Edmund wasn't here for a rescue; he was here to end the war once and for all._

_He seemed to tense up as I gasped, and I saw his forehead wrinkle as he peered down at me. I was certain he would slash my throat if I sounded the alarm, and every fiber in my body was crying out for me to do exactly that, but..._

_I couldn't. Lord help me, but I couldn't. I didn't want to sound the alarm any more than he really wanted to follow through on his sword and silence me for good. I could see it in tiny flickers in his dark eyes; I was still a Gaian, just on the wrong side, and even so I had yet to make any move to attack him. I wondered if it was as much an agonizing choice for him as it was for me. If I said nothing and went on my way as I had intended, he could sneak right in and do what he had come to do; he may not even be spotted by anyone else. He could single-handedly bring the war to a halt. If I shouted now, he would probably run me through, but at the very best his plans would be thwarted and the war would be prolonged. But did either of us really want that? The Mauds had already said it was destined to end in a matter of days, even hours; was he their messenger, coming to bring the war's dramatic end? In any case, I came to realize that after all the time I had spent watching him, listening to him, and struggling with the decision to betray him, I could never intentionally bring harm to him._

_I shivered and lowered my head. I didn't really know what to expect as I sat there, looking down at the muddy ground. Would he slide on by me, or would he think me too risky just to let go? If he chose the latter, would his attack turn me human, or would it be the end of me? Before I could think anymore thoughts on the matter, a light footfall sounded and I suddenly felt as though the left side of my skull had exploded. I caught a glimpse of what looked like rainbows and stars dancing, and then it all got drenched in ink._

_I opened my eyes and slowly focused on a night sky spattered with stars. My vision looked as though it was tinged with red, and as I slowly sat up, it felt as though the left side of my head had nails being hammered into it. I reached up and felt an angry bump on my head, and my hand came back with flakes of long-dried blood. At that moment, the only thought I could think of was one of sheer and ridiculous disbelief. "He hit me."_

_I flew off to my home as fast as I could, and even now as I lie here, I cannot stop shaking. I was relieved that he had spared me, but now I almost wish he hadn't. I have now betrayed both sides; the one I promised to help and now the one that gave me a second chance when I had fallen beyond their normal aid. I had thought that all the ability to feel such feelings would seep out of me with my mortality, but I guess I shouldn't be so lucky. I cannot sleep, and as I lay here I cannot help but wonder where things will stand by this time tomorrow._


	7. Day Six Epilogue

_The war is over! The sounds of cheering and angry denial filled the air like nothing I had ever heard before. I wandered around for the longest time, just looking at the desolation this war had caused. The creepiest thing for me is the blood; staining the ground, painting the buildings, spotting the stones and mingling with the rain to color the streams and grasses. I see places where the vague outline of a body can be seen amidst a particularly large stain, but no bodies. Never any bodies. They all have changed, in some way or another. It was the eeriest thing I had ever seen._

_The word spread like wildfire; there were gunshots heard in the Von Helson manor. Lord Vladimir had fallen. Zhivago and the Von Helson sisters had vanished. Edmund, Ian and Louie were seen fighting and bringing this to pass. Louie had been charged with keeping the vampire line alive. Everywhere humans were celebrating, waving their weapons aloft, doing macabre dances, and some were even continuing to hunt for just a few more vampires. The vampires themselves were either giving themselves up to be administered the cure or were fleeing to various places of hiding, refusing to the last to give up the way they had so easily adopted. There was apparently no word of the two who had been held captive in the dungeons; everyone's guess was that they had been found and rescued._

_I walked along slowly, marveling at the newfound quiet. Many Gaians have already gone back to their regular lives, beaming and gloating over their prizes, their newfound glory and fortune. Humans and vampires were already beginning to mingle as though they had never been at war. The battlefield was deserted save for a few lingering groups who talked among themselves and spat curses at the Mauds for having their words come to pass so quickly. Still others found the sudden peace too boring, and once they learned that the cure wouldn't be running out anytime soon, they happily continued as though it were a game; get bitten, get cured, repeat. I can only imagine how wrecked their bodies are going to be once the cure finally does run out and they have to cease._

_I found myself once again walking toward the Von Helson manor; my arms were too sore from the night before to do much flying, nor did I really feel like flying much. At that moment it felt too much like playing with a grand present that I didn't deserve to have._

_As I walked along the bridge, I could see the doors to the manor, and I found myself stopping, my mouth open in disbelief. Even from this distance I could make out the glint of the sun on his glasses and the stiff way that he stood. Edmund was there, out in the open, and he appeared to be...handing out the cure. He was in the one-time heart of the vampire's dealings, and he was handing out the cure. Just looking at him made the left part of my head thump out silent curses to him and his infernal sword handle. I felt my fists clench, but almost at once my hands relaxed again. I sighed and let the budding anger within me wither and die. My feet began to move, but this time it was in the direction I had come. I felt as though a part of me had been left behind, and I knew that I would not be going back to that particular part of Gaia for a long, long time._

_I have gone into hiding like many of my kind, though not all together. There are some among my circle of friends who have also decided to embrace their immortality; Emerald remains a vampire, as well as a few others. I am at ease among them, even though I knew at least one of them was out there fighting vampires with a will and crying out righteously for our blood to be spilled. The war has passed, and Gaia is at peace again._

_But though the world is at peace, I am not. I still find myself plagued on some nights when my mind wanders and prevents me from sleeping. What actually did happen that day when the war came to such a speedy end? Why has Ian not returned to his shop? Where did Zhivago and the Von Helson sisters vanish to? And what became of Gino and Liam? So many questions have gone unanswered. Am I the only one who really cares? Sometimes I wonder._

_I still like to spy on Edmund, though I am unsure why. I know it isn't revenge, because I don't feel any kind of anger at him for doing what he did. Maybe I have grown to like the habit of watching him as he goes about doing his part to bring Gaia back to the way it was before. Maybe I am hoping he will lead me to some of the answers I seek. Maybe I am seeking out forgiveness for betraying him. Maybe something in my brain fizzled when he hit me that one night. Forgive me, Edmund, and thank you; whenever my head aches, I'll think of you._

Edmund stared at that last page for a long time, though there was no more writing to be found on it. His tea had long since gone cold, and it was still as full as it had been when he had poured it. The fire had burned low; he had given it little attention, stoking it only when it gave enough light to read by.

He slowly closed the book, a small puff of battle-fouled air rising from it and reaching his nostrils. He stared at the worn cover, picturing how each and every stain and tear had happened in the midst of a week of war. It was like going through it again, only everything had changed. He still didn't agree with the vampire's views, and he admitted to himself that more than once he had paused from his reading and contemplated throwing the book into the fire. But as he continued to stare at the book's unremarkable cover, the stains and marks seemed to swirl once more, this time appearing as the face of that same red-haired vampire. He remembered her now as he had journeyed with her through her writings. He remembered seeing a splash of red out of the corner of his eye several times when he had been at the lab entrance. He remembered seeing her that night when he had been attempting to enter the manor by stealth to put an end to all the violence and bloodshed. He had thought her shamelessly drunk on blood, and he felt a small twinge of sadness; if he had known she was laughing for such an innocent reason, he probably would not have hit her so hard. He remembered almost seeing her as he had stood at the entrance to the manor; just a red speck on the bridge and then she was gone.

He tried in vain to remember her, but so many other faces crowded around, looking so similar to hers. He thought of one such Gaian; so eager to help and be a part of the effort. He could just hear her voice on the edge of his mind. "I don't have a lot of gold now, but just you wait; I'll buy as many of those orchids as I can." But her hair had been pink then. The eyes were the same, but everything else...

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he was surprised that he hadn't thought of it until now. He had seen the vampire so many times, and every time he saw that unruly mop of red hair...there had always been a smaller blotch of purple blossoming from her chest like an ominous purple stain. He even remembered seeing it for a split second that night when she in her gleeful ecstasy had bumped into him.

All those times, she had been wearing a purple orchid.

He stared into the fire's dying flames, and a word half-emerged from his mouth. "Alam...?"

A sudden small flash of pinprick light shone in the corner of his eye. He turned to the window just in time to see a small black bat fall backwards and vanish from sight. He had no doubt how long that creature had been there, nor who it was.

He stared once more at the small book, contemplating. _"Forgive me..."_ He walked over to where he had hung his sword and stared thoughtfully at the handle, which sported a small dent on one side. _"Forgive me..."_ He turned and walked over to his writing desk, and after a bit of rummaging found a pen. He opened the book to the very last page and wrote in his neatest and most elaborate handwriting, "You owe me a new sword handle."

He then walked over to the window, opened it, placed the book on the window ledge, closed the window and stood back. He had barely turned around when he heard a chorus of scratches and leathery whaps against the glass as the bat flew up and clumsily snatched the book in its claws. It flew off into the woods, struggling to stay aloft as it held tightly onto the book. He watched it vanish, waited a moment, then opened the window again and stared out into the night. At first there was the same peaceful silence. Then somewhere close by, he heard laughter ringing out from the trees, the same kind of laughter he had heard that night when...

He felt himself smile in spite of himself. Vampires could still laugh. They could still feel regret. They could even determine their own sense of morality. Maybe a peaceful coexistence was possible after all.


End file.
